Dhaka – Bangladesh and Russia have signed a deal on visa free travel by their nationals holding diplomatic and official passports, a foreign ministry statement said on Friday.

With the effect of the agreement, officials and diplomats from the countries will mutually be able to travel to their choice of destinations between the two countries.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hossain Mahmood Ali and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments at a meeting held on Thursday at the UN headquarters in New York.

“The agreement will ease and enhance the level of engagements between the peoples of the two friendly countries,” said the foreign ministry statement.

The two foreign ministers at the meeting discussed issues of mutual interest, including the possibility of a visit by Russian Prime Minister Medvedev to Dhaka in early 2017, dates for which will be worked out through diplomatic channel.

Russia showed interest in formalising a few agreements including the inter-governmental cooperation, maritime cooperation.

Foreign Minister Ali thanked the Russian government for its continued support to Bangladesh, especially for the implementation of the country’s first nuclear power plant under Russian assistance.